BROOKINGS - Avera and South Dakota State University have teamed up to give students an easy, affordable way to meet their health care needs.

SDSU students can pre-purchase four visits for the innovative AveraNow program for $99 and use them anytime they wish to see a doctor or advanced practice provider in real time from the comfort of their apartment, residence hall or anywhere else. The visits are good for use up to one year after purchase.

AveraNow has been in use for a year, and the new AveraNow on Campus gives SDSU students access to top-quality care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all with just a few clicks on a smart phone, tablet or desktop computer.

SDSU is the first institution of higher education to partner with Avera for this service.

“The partnership between Avera and South Dakota State University delivers health care in a way the meets the needs of today’s generation of students,” said Douglas Wermedal, interim vice president of student affairs at SDSU. “The college years are among the busiest times of anyone’s life, and a student’s need for quality care extends 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Virtual visits complement our student health services in a way that makes seeing a provider convenient, straightforward and fast.”

AveraNow on Campus is simple. Students or their parents enroll online and pre-purchase the four visits. AveraNow is like a mobile urgent care and can be used for: flu, fever, pink eye, rashes, sinus infections and more. Students can just log onto the AveraNow app, and speak via video chat with an AveraNow professional.

Jason Knutson, DO, Medical Director of AveraNow, said that because today’s college students are the most mobile-technology savvy generation in history, the partnership is a natural fit.

“As AveraNow celebrates its first anniversary, we’ve seen use continue to increase especially among college-age, tech-familiar customers,” Knutson said. “AveraNow on campus will help students focus on their homework and not worry when they come down with a cold or pink eye on a weekend morning. It gives peace of mind to students and their families.”

Complete details, including instructions for purchase and registration, are online at www.Avera.org/campus.